Absorption during book distribution can make a devotee fearless. Ananga Mohan Prabhu, being absorbed in this seva landed up at the underworld den in Moscow. A neighbour warned him and his partner to not enter the building. Undaunted, the duo entered the premises and rang the bell. A mean looking man opened the door and asked them their names. Ananga Mohan Prabhu mentioned his legal name which in Russsian meant 'shark'. No sooner had he mentioned his name fifteen men pulled out their guns and pointed at Ananga Mohan Prabhu. 'Shark' was the rival gang leader with whom these thugs had serious fights. Even the police feared these two prominent gangs. Ananga Mohan Prabhu was fearless, and he told the men pointing guns at him about the kali yuga emergency, and the desperate need to take shelter of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who has come to deliver all the fallen souls of this age by awarding them the priceless gift of congregational chanting of Krishna's Holy Names. Meanwhile Ananga Mohan Prabhu's partner was nervous and kept pulling him back, to leave the place immediately. However Anaga Mohan Prabhu was focussed in his preaching, and believe it or not, after his twenty minute emphatic presentation of the Krishna consciousness philosophy, he distributed fifteen copies of 'Teachings of Lord Chaitanya' to these ill famed gangsters. Later as they came out of the building, Ananga Mohan Prabhu's partner was still shivering from the scary experience of seeing over a dozen guns pointed at them. He asked Ananga Mohan Prabhu if he wasn't frightened on seeing the guns.
Ananga Mohan Prabhu was surprised that these men had guns, for he was oblivious to it and thought they were high on liquor but never noticed the guns. This was the extent of his absorption in his service.
Last August, after having distributed Srila Prabhupada books in Russia daily (even during the minus 40 degrees winter), for over twenty five years, Ananga Mohan Prabhu shocked the temple president with a news, "Prabhu, last night Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appeared in my dream and told me that He is very pleased with me. He also mentioned to me that I should come back to Him for he has some other important services for me elsewhere." The devotees were wonderstruck and asked him to describe further. He revealed how the Lord has a beautiful golden complexion and is dressed in dazzling yellow garments and is performing sankirtana. As the devotees were happily transported to the spiritual world by his descriptions, he shocked them by
repeating the Lord's instructions, "I think Prabhus I've to leave. The Lord is calling me back. Please prepare my papers." (In Russia you need special government papers to perform your final rites in a Vedic way). As the temple president and other devotees dissuaded him, Ananga Mohan Prabhu was emotional, "I am sure this was no ordinary dream. It was a divine vision.
The Lord wants me for another service. I know I am sinful and completely unqualified to receive these instructions, but it is true."
A few days later as Shri Gaura Hari Prabhu and other devotees prepared the papers they got the news about a car accident where Ananga Mohan Prabhu left his body on the spot, seated next to the driver. On reaching the accident site, the devotees discovered there were no injuries or marks on his body;
just smilingly, his hand on the bead bag he was gone. Devotees knew Lord Chaitanya had called him for another service- a reward for his tireless two decades of dedicated and selfless service.
Hare Krishna
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